Baldev Raj Chopra, later known as a director, started from the Punjabi film industry in Lahore, where he operated a film magazine called the Cine Herald. Prominent names included Shanta Apte, Motilal, Chandra Mohan, Hiralal, Noor Jehan, Mumtaz Shanti, Wali, Syed Attahullah Shah Hashmi, Krishna Kumar, and Shanker Hussain. Studios started to open and many actors, filmmakers and technicians shifted from Bombay and Calcutta to Lahore. Mehra released his second Punjabi sound film, Heer Sial. Due to the success of this film, interest in Punjabi films started to escalate therefore, in 1938, with the assistance of Madan Mohan Mehra, K.D. The sound film, Pind Di Kudi was produced in Calcutta and released in Lahore and introduced young Noor Jahan as an actor and a playback singer.
Produced by Indira Movie Tone, Krishna Dev Mehra released his directorial début, Pind Di Kudi, in 1935. Ismail while launching the careers of Rafiq Ghaznavi, Nazeer and Anwari. Hakim provided the studio with the equipment necessary to direct the sound film, marked as the last directed by Kardar in Lahore, starring M. Produced by Hakim Ram Prasad, the 1932 released Heer Ranjha, originally titled Hoor Punjab, was the first Punjabi sound film ever made. Husn Ka Daku, also known as Mysterious Eagle, Kardar's directorial début would firmly add him into the directors guild. Actors who worked for the studio included Hiralal, Gul Hamid, Nazir, Pran Sikhand, Kaushalya Devi, Gulzaar, Mumtaaz and Ahmed Deen. The duo modeled their work on American and English films with influences not just prevalent in actors' attires but the movie titles and expressed a desire to seek all means necessary to make a sound film of their own. Shooting was mainly done in daylight and limited their productivity, but the area they encompassed was enriched with locations, including important landmarks. Set up at Ravi Road (now Timber Market), the duo hired actors to work with them on their projects. Alongside Ismail, he sold all his belongings to set up a studio and a production company under the name United Players Corporation, in 1928. Mehta on The Daughters of Today, he felt he needed to continue working and stay active in the industry.
Kardar, a professional calligraphist, was accompanied by his fellow-artist and friend Muhammad Ismail, who would make the posters for his films.Īlthough Kardar had worked with G.K. But it was to be later in 1929–1930, when Abdur Rashid Kardar's Husn Ka Daku was released, that the film industry had established in essence in Lahore's Bhati Gate locality. Mehta continued to produce newsreel coverage for companies abroad and delved into further film projects but his dedication gave way when he promptly left the film industry for more profitable ventures. Bhatavdekar, had imported a camera into the country. Mehta, a former officer with the North-Western Railways who, much like H.
ĭaughters of Today was a brainchild of G.K. Movies shown at these cinemas were mostly produced in Bombay and Calcutta, and seldom from Hollywood and London.
The first silent film, Daughters of Today, was released in 1924 in Lahore the city had nine operational cinema houses. įilm operations started in the 1920s in Lahore, the provincial capital of British Punjab. Many actors and filmmakers started their careers in Punjabi films, a number of whom have acquired international reputations, and a number of whom have found greater financial benefits in careers in larger film producing industries. Since then, many films have been produced in Punjabi cinema, a number of which have received international recognition. The first sound film, Heer Ranjha, using the sound-on-disc technology, was released in 1932. The cinema of Punjab has its beginnings with the 1928 production of Daughters of Today, the earliest feature film produced in Punjab. Punjabi cinema, sometimes metonymously referred to as Pollywood or sometimes Punjwood (Panj-wood), is the Punjabi language film industry centred around the state of Punjab in India based in Amritsar and Mohali.